Clamping device



P. H. DIXON May s, w56

CLAMPING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 6, 1951 P. H. DIXON CLAMPINGDEVICE May 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zz L44 z2 NYSIOTC: paul QJ. D L'.Kork CAM' i (L, .-Ll Cwvomosy/ Filed Dec. 6, 1951 United Statesy Patent2,744,780 CLAMPING nnvicu Paul H. Dixon, Rockford, Ill., assigner toDixon Research, Inc., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of lliinoisApplication December 6, 1951, Serial No. 260,241

13 Claims. (Cl. 294-415) This invention relates to a device forfacilitating the picking up and transportation of heavy and unwieldyarticlessuch for example as coils of strip material of widely variabledimensions. t

One object is to provide anew and improved clamping deviceor grab whichmay be applied manually to the article to be handled while the latter isin one position and then actuated to grip the article along twodimensions so that the article may be tipped angularly into anotherposition in which it is held securely while being transported.v

- Another object is to provide a device of the above character whichgrips the article along two dimensions by two clamps which open andclose in perpendicular directions and which operate differentiallyaccording to the two dimensions of the article to be handled.

A more detailed object is to provide a simple construction of the twoperpendicularly acting clamps by mount'- ing oney jaw of each clamp inright angular relation on one member and the other jaws in a similarrelation on a second member, which members are mounted on a commonsupport to slide along perpendicular paths.

Another object is to actuate the two clamps differentially by applyingtension to a ilexible line operatively connected to the sliding members.j

rIheinvention also resides in the novel construction of the support toincrease the rigidity of the jaws and in the construction andarrangement of the clamps to facilitate the placing of the device inclamping position aroundA the article tobe lifted.

Other objects and advantages` of the invention will become apparent from`the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which t, v Figures- -l and 2 are4 perspectiveviews of the improved clamping' device and an article with the latterdisposed in different positions. f l y.

' Figay 3 .is a side elevation of the clamping device. y

Fg.r4 is, an end elevation. f

' Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are sectional views taken respectively alongthelines 55f66, and 7 7 in Fig. 4.` v FigS is a sectional view taken alongthe liners- 8 in Fis.

.While the improved clamping device lmaybe-used to handle variousarticles having av generally rectangularl cross.section,*it isespecially useful in handling coils of metal strip material and istherefore described herein in connectio'owith such a usage. It will be,under-stood, however,-that such disclosure is merely'for `the-purposeof illustrating the invention and is not intended'to limit thescope ofthe appended claims. i

/As shown in Fig. 1, coils 10 of strip material are usually stored'bystacking horizontally oneon top of the' other.

mermberl) whose edge carries the inner jaw 13 of the 2,744,780 PatentedMay 8,1956

outer edges of the metal strip are frequently bent and damaged duringhandling of the coil.

In accordance with the presentinvention, these difl culties are overcomethrough the provision of two clamps respectively operable .to grip Athetop coil of the stack both radiallyand axially and movably mounted on acommon support 12 which is adapted to be picked up by the crane hook 11rst to tilt the coil through a quarter revolution,

andv then toy suspend itin the vertical position shown in Fig; 2., i

`Generally stated, the vaxial clamp comprises opposed innerv andouterjaws l13 and'14 movable toward each` other to grip the opposite endsurfaces of the coil while the radial clamp comprises jaws 15 and 16movable toward each. other in a perpendicular direction to engage theinnerand outer peripheries of the coil. Opening and. closing` of the twoclamps is effected by moving the outer t jaws, 14Jand 16l whichcooperate to define an outwardly. openingy recess 17 (Fig. 6) Hforreceiving theradial sec-k tion of the coil 10 so that the outer jaw 14may be inserted under the coil with the opposing jaw 13 lying on top ofthe coil, the jaws 14 and. 16 of the y,other clamp facing the inner andouter peripheries of the coil section. The jaws, of each-*clamp thenmaybe drawn together to grip the coil both axially andvradially.ffPreferabl'y,` the jaws ofthe two clamps are supported on two elongatedmembers 18 and 19 which cross each other andareimounted `onthe support12 for endwise .sliding movement in ,perpendicular directions, one jawofeach clamp being formedas a part of each member.

Accordingly, the outer jaw114of the axial clamp is supported onandprojects laterally from the member or slide 18 r whose sideedge formsvthe inner jaw 15 of the radial clamp. Similarly, the outer jawl k16ofthe radial clamp isrigid with and projects laterally from the end ofthe slide other clamp. l

rvThe slide 18 comprises two parallel flat bars 22y which are spacedapart, for a purpose to appear later, by a block,

23 inserted between them at the end of the slide adjacent l vthe outerjaw 14 and are fastened together by suitable. bolts 24 extending throughthe bars and theblock. At

the `inside of the slide 18 thetblockr 23 extendsbeyond the edges .ofthe bars V2,2 to ff0rm the clamping surface of the'jaw15 and, ifdesired, this surface may be. increased in area bywidening the extendedportion of the block as at 23?l (Eig.x4). The jaw 14 is integral withthe block 23 and is made inthe shape of a thin wedge which is inclinedgradually to a sharp edgeuatthe end, the inner side ofv the wedge beingdisposed. nearly at right angles to the jaw 15 to form-the clampingsurface .of the outer jaw 14.

With this construction, the outer jaw 14 may be insertedy easily underthe top coil and into the Inarrow space byy y the-member 19 to: slide.between the bars 25. The bars In movinggthe top coil by a crane, theusual procedure f" is to-.tip the coil upwardly and apply the hook 11 ofthe crane to the inner edge of the coil so that the latter will beysuspended vertically from the hook while being transf ported tok a pointof use. Such tilting ofthe coiljs'a laborious and time consumingoperation, and theinner or 25- are held apartby spacers2'6 (Fig. 6)inserted between the :bars atthe ends adjacent the jaw 1.6. Between`each bar` ZSfandzthe lcorrespondingrends of the spacers 26 is a'smallplate 27 with a lateraly projection 21, the projec tions on the two'yplates Iforming the -outer jaw 16.` yThe bars 25', the plates 2,7, andthe spacers 26 may be suitably fastened together asby bolts28. .Sincethe edges of the' projections 21 are at right angles to the edges of thebars 25,- thel jaws l3fandf16 on the slide 19facerespectively l ,Ythejaws 14 and v15 on the slide 18.

With this arrangement, sliding the member 18"bacl 3and-forth,opens-andfclosesl theclamp jaws 13 and 14, and the.jaws. 15.and16. of the.Y other, clamp., are. moved. to; ward and away from eachother by sliding the member 19. Since the member 18 slides-within themember 19, the opposing jaws of` each. clamp arey inzsubstantially thesame plane. To preventy the slidable-membersfrom beingremovedaccidentallyffrom the support/12; their. endwise-movement` in.the clamp` opening. direction-.is limited.

by stops129-fwhichproject fromthe sides-ofl the bars 22 andh near theyends remote from the jaws 1'4:..and"16.

andfare=adapted to:abut against the support when the clampsare fullyAOpen.` as shown` in Eig. 5.

Tu'guide.I the members 18fandf19in theirendwise sliding and to hold thelatter against lateral and sidewise shifting, the support 12 is formedwith a pair of iper-pendiculas guidewaysfin which the members slide. Theguide- WayJ forthe sliding member; 118 comprises a pair of inneropposed@ channels (Figs. 6 and 8) and, similarly, opposed channels-31(Figs. 4 and 5) spaced outwardly from andiatright angles to the-innerchannels define the guid'eway forthe` sliding member 19. Foi-the purposeofg forming the channels 3|)y and 31, the-support includes twoparallelrectangular plates 32 spaced apart and disposed diagonallyacross the slides 18 and 19 where the latter-cross,- theend portions ofthe diagonal plates overhangi'ngvthe slides behind the jaws 13 and 15.Between the en dI portions and behind the jaw- 13 are inserted a spacer33 andy aspacer block 34 (Fig. 7) fastened in place by suitable rivets35 to hold. the diagonal'plates 32 in spacedI relation. Lyingv againstthe inner side of each diagonal plate 32 and suitably riveted theretoare two guide-bars 36y and 37 of generally the same thickness asthebars- 25'y and having opposed parallel edges spaced apart a distanceequal to the width of the bars 25. Similarly, two guide plates 38 and 39lie against and are riveted to the inside of the guide bars 36 and 37yand have opposed parallel edges perpendicular to the guiding edges Cilsimilarly spanning the bars 25' near the jaw 16. A third stud. 46` issecured, to. the suppprt 12-21.114, Spanstthe guide. plates 39. Thechain 41 extends from the block 34 outwardly along the slide 19 betweenthe bars 25, around the outer side of the stud 45, back along the slide19, around the stud 46, outwardly along the slide 18 between the bars22, around the outer side of the stud 44 and outwardly of the clampingdevice. The stud 46 confines the chain 4tiwithin the slideslS and 19where it does not interfere with the clamping of the coil 10 and guidesthe chain so that. it approaches the, stud- 4.4:.in. a..

12 and resulting in endwise sliding ofthe-members 1.85: and 19 to movethe outer jaws inwardly relative to-theA support 12. Since one of therollers 44 and'45f may move while the other remains stationary, therollers. serveto connect the chain differentially to the outer jaws 14and 16 and, therefore, although one clamp may closey rst, theintermediate portion of the chain continuesto shorten to collapse theother clamp. After both ofthe clamps have been closed, continued pullingof the chain end=43 exerts a lifting force adjacent the outer peripheryof the coil raising one side of the coil'and` tiltingthe latter througha right angle until the coil hangs vertically, as shown in Fig. 7, inwhich position the free end 43015 `the chain extends upwardlyapproximately over the center of gravity ofthe coil. When the coil ishanging vertically, substantially the entire weight of the coil issupported by the jaw 1 6 and thus the line 40 is tensioned to` hold theclamps closed. Relieving the tension in the4 line by ofthe barsT 36 and37. Thus, the inner sides of the i diagonal: plates 32 and the paralleledges of the guide bars 36 andv 37 dene the outer channels 31 and, inthey same manner, the inner surfaces of the guide bars and the'edgesofthe guide plates 38 and 39 define the inner channels 30.

The guide bars 36 and the guide plates 38 are disposed behind andlextend outwardlyalongthe slides 19 and 18 to provide abacking for thejaws 13 and 15 while the guide'bars 37 and the guide plates 39 supportthe slides; adjacent these jaws. With this construction, the slidesareheld rigidly against lateral movement so that the clampsmay grip thecoil 10 securely.

Means isprovided to close the clamps differentially according to the twodimensions of the coil 10. Preferably this 'means is operable as anincidentto the lifting of the article by the crane hook 11 whereby theclamp 15, 1,6 is collapsed about aradial section of-the coil and theclamp 13,14 is closed against the ends of the coil during initial upwardmovement of the hook 11. In the preferred embodiment, this diiferentialmeans is connected to the clamps in such a manner that the continuedupward movement of the crane hook after the coil is clamped is eectivefirst to tilt the coil to the vertical position shown in'Fig. 2 and`then to lift the coil. While this means may take various forms, hereinit comprises a iiexible line 40 which is anchored at one end 41 to thesupport 12 and extends outwardly ofthe support where an eye 42 on thefree end 43 of the line may be hooked to the crane, the intermediateportion of the line being connected to the movable jaws of the clamps toclose the-latter about the coil in response to outward pulling of theline.v

As shown in the drawings, the flexible line 40 comprises afchain the end41 of which is secured to the spacer block 34. The lchain is connectedto the jaws 14 and 16 through studs 44 and 45 rigid with and'projectinglaterally from the slides 18` and 19 respectively, the studv 44 spanningthe bars 22 adjacent the outer jaw 14 and 4the stud 45` transferring theweight of the coil to another support device from the coil.

In operation, the clamping device is expanded to a size larger than theaxial and radial dimensions of the coil 10 so that the latter may bereceived within the recess 17 between the twoouter clamp jaws. The tipof the wedge-shaped jaw 1 4 then is inserted intov the narrow spaceunder the coil as shown in Figs.y 1 andv 3 with the slide 19 resting ontop of the coil andthe jaw 16 projecting loosely into the centralopening ofthe coil. The' hook 11 of the crane is lowered and insertedthrough the eye 42 and the free end 43 of the chain 40 is liftedvertically. Since the chain is doubled around each of the rollers 44 and45 through substantially 180 degrees, further pulling or lifting of thefree endofthe chain results in endwise sliding of the members 18 and 19on the support 12 wedging the jaw 14 under the coil and closing bothclamps 13, 14 and 15, 16 against the coil. Once the coil is clamped, thecontinued lifting action of the crane tilts the coil from the horizontalposition shown in Fig. 1 to the'vertical position illustrated in Fig. 2.During thisy tilting, the coil is held securely inthe recess 17 by thejaws 13 and 14. When the vertical position is reached, further liftingof the free chain end'43 raises the coil which then-is ready fortransporting or otherhandling.

It will be apparent that a clamping device of the above character gripsthe coil 10 alongtwo dimensions so that the coil is clamped securelywhen it is picked up, as `it isy jaw 14 facilitate placing the,A devicearound the coil and the clamps 13, 14 and 15, 16 are adjusted easily to'the- ,Y sizeof the coil by sliding the members 18 and 19.; By utilizingthe tension in the lifting chain 40 to move the slides: 18 and 19, thejaws clamp the coil automatically when the crane hook 11 is raised andrelease the coil when the latter is laid down. I claim as my invention:

l. A device `for clamping a" coil comprising, in comthel outer peripherythereof, a second elongated member perpendicular to said first memberand slidably mounted on said support for endwise movement, said secondmem,- ber having a longitudinal clamping surface adapted to engage oneend of the coil along a. radius thereof,a thin jaw` projecting laterallyfrom' said rst member and having a face on one side opposing theclamping surface on said second member, said one side and the oppositeside of said jaw being inclined relative'to each other to formasharpened end adapted to be wedged under said coil, a second jawprojecting laterally from said second member to be inserted in thecentral opening of said coil and having a face opposing the clampingsurface on said rst member, a pair of studs, onerigid with andprojecting laterally from each of said members adjacent said jaws, and aexible line having one end anchored to said support and bent around saidstuds thereby to slide said members and to urge said jaws toward saidopposing clamping surfaces when the other end of said line is pulledtolift the coil.

2. A device of the character described comprising-in combination, asupport including a first set of guide elements having opposed edges to,define a iirst guideway. anda second set of guide elements havingopposed edgesv f to y'define a second guideway perpendicular to thefirst, a irst elongated member mounted on said' support for endwisesliding in said first guideway, a second elongated member slidablymounted ins'aid second guideway for endwise movement, said membershaving clamping surfaces along crossing edges thereof to provide twojaws, the guideelements of each set'respectively supporting theassociated member adjacent said jaws and extending along theoppositeedges of said members to provide a backing for;v saidl j aws, a klateralprojection onnsaid rst member and ,having a clamping faceopposing thejaw on said second member, a lateral projection on said second memberand having a clamping face'opposing the jaw on said first member, andmechanism connected to said members and said support and operable toslide said members endwise movement, said members having clampingsurfaces along crossing edges thereof to provide two jaws, said guideelements supporting said members adjacent said jaws, a lateralprojection on said first member and having a clamping face opposing thejaw on said second member, a lateral projection on said second memberand having a clamping face opposing the jaw on said first member, andmechanism connected to each of said members and operable to slide saidmembers thereby to move said faces toward and away from said jaws.

4. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, asupport, a first elongated member mounted on said support for endwisesliding and having a clamping surface along one side edge thereof, asecond elongated member perpendicular to said rst member and slidablymounted on said support for endwise movement, said second member havinga clamping surface along one of itsside edges, two jaws, 'orierprojfctnglaterally from the outer ends of each of said members land having a faceopposing ythe clampingjsrface on the other of said members, a efirststud rigidlyf fmounted on said tirst memberoutwardly of said support'andprojecting laterally from the member, a` second stud s'imilarlyvmountedon said second member, a thirdfstud rigidY with and projecting laterallyfrom said support, and a `flexible line anchored atone end tosaidsupport and extending loutwardly along said rst member, around the outerside of said tirst stud, reversely along said'irst member, around saidthird stud, outwardlyalong saidsec'on'dfmember, around the outerside. ofsaid second stu'd and outwardly of said device thereby to' slidesaidnmembers differentially and to clamp an article along two of' its.dimensions in response to outward pulling of saidlin. t.

v' Aclamping device of "the character described cornprising,y `incombination, a support, an inner ,jaw and an outer'jaw opposing eachother and mounted on said support for relative movement' toward and awayfrom each other to open and 'close thereby to clamp an article along onevof its dimensions, a second pair of opposed jaws similarly mounted onsaidsupportv to open and close in a direction 'perpendicularto themovement of said irstlmentioned jaws and to clamp said article alonganother 'dimension, a first stud rigidly connected to the outer jaw ofsaid rst pair, a second stud rigidly connected to 'theouter jaw ofsaidsecond pair, a third stud `lrigid with-saidnsupport, and a 'exbleline anchored at 'onetend'to said' support and wound around the outerside ofls'aid first stud', ,back around said'third stud, aroundv the'outer'side of `said second stud and extending outward-v ly of saiddevice'thereby to close vsaid pairs of jaws differentially according tothe'ltwo dimensions of the article in lresponse tok outward pulling ofsaidline.

6. Adevice of the character described comprising, in combination, asupport,vv a first. elongated member mounted on said support for endwisesliding and having a xclamping surface along one sideedge thereof, asecond elongated member perpendicular to said first member and l each ofsaid membersl and having a face opposing the clamping surface on theotherl of said members, a pair of guide "rollers,o'ne 'mounted' on andprojecting laterally from each of said* members, andI a flexible linehaving one end anchored to said support and bent around each of saidrollers thereby to slide said members and to urge said jaws toward saidopposing clamping surfaces when the other end of said line is pulled.l

7. A clamping device of the character described com prising, incombination, a support, au inner jaw and an outer jaw opposing eachother and mounted on said support for relative movement toward and awayfrom each other to open and close thereby to clamp an article along oneof -its dimensions, a second pair of opposed jaws similarly mounted onsaid support to open and close in a direction angularly related to themovement of said rst mentioned jaws and to clamp said article alonganother dimension, said outer jaws cooperating to define a recess toreceive the article, a pair of studs, one for each of said pairs,rigidly connected to' said outer jaws, and

a exible line having one `end anchored to said support and wound aroundsaid studs thereby to close said jaws to the size of said articley whenthe other end of said line is pulled.

8. A clamping device of the vcharacter described comprising, incombination, a support, a first clamp comprising a pair of opposed jawsmounted on said support for relative movement toward and away from eachother to open and close thereby to. grip an article along one of itsrdimensions, a second and similar clamp mounted on said support to openand close in a direction perpendicular to said firstv clamp and to gripsaid article along another dimensien, efilexible,iiiieextendins.outwardly fram,-

Seidlsupnerf endime e.. relative thereto, and. meehe Diemeoaneeiiiiaeaid meerid ihamevebieews f: Seialv clamps and operableinresponse, to'outward pulling of the line to closesaidclarnps-di1erentially accordinggto theI iWO. dimeneiens Qftheertiele9. Alclampingdevice: of thezvcharracter described corn- Piieiiiaineembinetiem agsuppert, an inner jaw. and, eil outerV jawopposngeachother and mguntedvon said sup: port for relative movement toward andawayy from` each otherl toopen andvcloselthereby toclampan articleIalong Olie Qf iis. dimensione, aseeehd. pair Ofrepposed iewsr similarlymounted.onusaidsupport;to open andclose invafdiieetiqn,ensularlyieleiedfta the mevement 0i. Said7 mounted onV saidsupport for endwise sliding and` having aclarnpingsurface alongonesideedge thereof, a jaw projecting, laterally-from saiddrst member andhaving alclamping face per'p endicul'arl to said surface, a second`elongated mernber perpendicular toy said first member. andfslidablymountedionsaid supportfor endwise rnove7 ment, saidsecon d`memberhayingaclamping surfacel ex,- tending alongV one of its side edges andopposing the face of saidjaw, a thin jaw? projecting laterally from saidsecondmember and havinga clamping face on one side opposing theclampingsurface o'llvsailrst membensaid one side and theoppositeIsiderof` said thin jawbeing inclined relative to eachother to,fo1fm asharpened; end adapte-,dto be wedged under the article to` be, clamped,andfmeans to engage` saidt members to' slide the same thereby to clampvthe article between said surfaces and said faces.

v11. A devicevof the character described comprising, incombination,a'supporrt defining a pair of perpendicularV guideways, arstelongatedhmember,mounted on said support forendwise slidingin one Iofsaidy guideways and having a, clamping surface' along one I side edgethereof,

e,eeeeridfelsmgetedinember Slidebly. meuntedin the-ether, 0fl Said.syideweye for endwise movement endhavinste, clamping`- surface alongone of4 itsisidey edges, twojayvs, one projecting;laterallyfrom each oflsaidV members and, having a face opposingthe clamping,surfaceonftheother.. of said members, and means connectedto,saidmernbersandmoperable ,toy slidelsaid memberstherelnyv to Vclamp anariieiebetween Said Surfaces and Seid faces.

12. Aldrevice ofthe character4 described comprising, ,in combination, a,support,A a first elongated member, mounted on said,l support forAendwise slidingandrhaving; aclamping, surface alongone sidev edgethereof, asecond', elongated member. perpendicularV to Asaid Irstrnemberand slidably rnou'nted` on. Vsaid supportfor endwise move.- ment, ksaidsecond member havingl a clamping, surfacey along one of its;side,.edges, tw :|,jaws,rone projecting laterally from each,of `saidmembersandhayinga face opposing vthe clampingsurface on thel other Aofsaid ,meme-x, bereendmeerie eonneleted to, Said;memberefandroperable: toslide said membersthereby to clamp ,an ,articlebetween saidA surfacesand ,said faces.-l

13- A` demping devieeofthefeharaeier d eeeribedcom#l prising,` incombination, a, suppor an inner jaw, and. en.y Outery jewy ennesima.eeen other edmeuniedi 011` Seid.k support; for` relative movement:toward, and awayy fromz each;y other` to ope/mand. close: thereby; to,clamp anlarticle; alertsJ 011e- 0fA its dimensione a. Seeensih pair, OffGenese@- iawsleimilarly maimedimeadeuppert teOpenen@elenal inse-f.direeiien ausiliaria reletedite: the; Incrementofnierst mentioned jawsand to clamp said article-alngjan;` Otheridirneneien, ,SaiAruiten-ielweiteirnrrepaeedf apart. and eeeneraiiins 'te de eeiesei11;;whieh thei artielemaxbefreeeived bymevineli ewiSe-i1 1-;th .atieefrsaid, jewel. end rneeiieaism eeiineetediosai Jawsianrl, Operable to;eieeef-Y Seid; peirefef; jaws-1 thereby; adiusiinef Said f Clamping;device-tothe size Iof saidgarticle.

Referenees-Ciieiinihe ilefeflthiepetent UNrrEn-sm'rns nATrsrrrs-`256.421307- Qlspn. June 1.6, ,1953, EOREIGN; PfATENTS V 470,572 GermanyA Jan.v 2 1-, 1,929

